"Florida's actually been trending downward over the last few months," said Tristam Wallace, spokesman for tracking firm Foreclosure.com.

"A lot of time when you see foreclosures dropping there's still some strength in the housing market. People can sell before they foreclose."

RealtyTrac defines foreclosures as properties in danger of repossession by the bank or mortgage holder. The usual trigger is delinquent house payments over several months.

Many housing analysts have predicted a rise in foreclosures, a hangover from people buying bigger homes with riskier, adjustable-rate mortgages.

For the last couple of years, stratospheric housing appreciation has propped up overextended home buyers: With values rising by as much as 30 percent a year, they could refinance their way out of insolvency.

But tighter credit and slowing appreciation may force more people into default.

RealtyTrac's numbers were higher than those provided by Foreclosure.com, which showed a 9 percent upswing in foreclosures from February to February.